Nassau County to spray for mosquitoes

Nassau County is planning to conduct ground spraying Thursday, weather permitting, to help control the adult mosquito population in areas where West Nile virus has been detected in mosquito samples, county health officials said.

Spraying with the pesticide Scourge will be conducted from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in areas of North Valley Stream, Valley Stream, Lawrence, Woodmere and Woodsburgh, with a rain date of Tuesday, Sept. 3, officials said.

Besides being annoying, some mosquitoes' bites transmit West Nile virus to humans. Mosquitoes pick up the virus by feeding on infected birds.

The county has reported 21 mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile virus this season, and no human cases, a spokeswoman for the health department said.

The chance of experiencing health effects from the spraying "is quite low," but "as with any pesticide, individuals may want to reduce or eliminate exposure," health officials said in a release. That means children and pregnant women should stay inside during and for about 30 minutes after treatment, the release said.

For more information call the county's West Nile hotline at 888-844-8657 on treatment days.